From a Distance
by Angelwings23123
Summary: Blair watches a ceremony from a distance, then a case brings him a little bit closer...
1. From a Distance

Disclaimer: not mine

From a Distance

He stood concealed by a grove of trees watching the tiny procession as it paraded down the isle between the two sections of seats. Sitting in those seats were parents, relatives and friends of those involved in the ceremony. He longed to be seated among them, but knew that he couldn't. He wasn't even supposed to be here at all. But when he heard that the graduation was today, he felt compelled to attend. He listened as the names were called out and the graduates went up to accept their diplomas. His breath caught as the name that he had been waiting for was called...

Time had gone by so quickly. He couldn't believe that she was graduating already—even if it was only from kindergarten. He watched as she excitedly took the diploma and grinned at the audience before sitting down again. He longed to be among the crowd, to be able to announce proudly that she was his... Instead he had to settle for watching from a distance aching to be a part of it all—to be a part of her life. If only things had been different...

He had been dating Susan on and off for a few weeks when she told him that she was pregnant. He had also found out at that time that she was married. He still wanted to be a part of the child's life but she wouldn't let him. She made him promise never to try contacting her or the child—and she had the money and the influence to make sure that he kept that promise. No one was to know that the baby was his...

He had kept his word, but he couldn't help keeping track of his little girl. He had saved her birth announcement—clipped from the newspaper. He had read it over and over again, '...baby girl...Elizabeth Anne Mitchelle...5lbs. 4ozs.' From the first time he had read that article he had wondered what she would be like: what she looked like, how she would act, what kind of a person she would become.... He had also kept the article announcing the graduation that was taking place today. His eyes had instantly caught her name and though he knew that he shouldn't attend, he had found himself drawn there anyhow, if only to catch a glimpse...

She had her mother's green eyes, but he noticed that she had his curly auburn hair. She looked just like a little pixie. He smiled as he watched her run toward the crowd when the program ended, her eyes searching for a familiar face. His breath caught when her eyes briefly met his and he took an involuntary step forward. He froze as she called 'Daddy!' and for a moment his heart soared... But then she raced into the waiting arms of a man in a brown suit and he stepped back into the shadows, his heart aching. In that instant he knew that he would never be 'daddy' to her, that that place was filled by someone else. He watched as Susan joined them and the three left smiling. He knew that he would never be a part of that. They were a family and he was just a stranger, watching from a distance...


	2. Bridging the Distance

It was a regular day at the station when the call came in. A crime had been committed in the ritzier section of the city: a kidnapping. It seemed routine and Ellison and Sandburg were sent to investigate.

When they arrived at the house, they were ushered by the housekeeper into the living room were the parents of the victim were seated. It was then that the knowledge that this case was not routine was realized...at least by two of those present...

He was shocked when he saw them sitting there; Susan and the man he recognized from the graduation. He couldn't understand what they were doing here or why they looked so worried. Then reality hit him and he remembered the reason why he was here: a kidnapping. Elizabeth. Oh, God! His eyes flew to meet Susan's. She was also surprised to see him here, but kept the fact well hidden. Her eyes were pleading with him to help...but not to tell anyone about their connection. Jim had already started to question them and had not noticed the exchange. He quickly pulled himself together (at least on the outside) and quietly took in the rest of the interview...

She had been taken from her bedroom sometime during the night and a ransom note was found in the morning. They were in her bedroom now looking for clues. It was your typical little girl's room—but to him it was anything but. He looked around the room eager to find out a little something about his daughter's life. There were shelves along the walls filled with toys and books, a little table with a tea set was located in one corner, and a canopy bed was at the center of the room. He smiled as he noticed the obviously well loved teddy bear seated on it. His inspection was cut short when Susan asked if they had found anything yet. Jim told her that they hadn't found anything conclusive yet, but that they would know more once the ransom note was analyzed. Soon after, they left for the station. The whole situation seemed so surreal to him...

The shock wore off and he was angry, upset, worried...frantic. Why hadn't they found her yet? Why hadn't they caught the person responsible? Ok, granted it had only been a few hours, but still....

He decided to ask again if forensics had found anything on the ransom note. Jim told him a bit tersely that no, they hadn't yet and that he would tell him when they did. He looked at the clock and was surprised to find that only a few minutes had passed since he had asked the last time. With a sigh, he went back to pretending to grade papers.

Then the news came that they had found her. They had received an anonymous tip that led them to discover where she was being held. He and Jim were the first on the scene and discovered that there was only one kidnapper, which Jim went after. While Jim was doing that, he went looking for Elizabeth. He found her in one of the rooms and quickly untied her. She was crying and clung to him as he rocked her. He had tears in his eyes too as he told her that everything was alright now...

They took her to the hospital and he was in the waiting room with Jim waiting for word on her condition. Jim kept looking at him sideways and opening his mouth like he was about to say something but decided not to. He finally asked Jim what he wanted to say.

"She's yours isn't she?" he asked.

All Blair could do was nod that yes, she was his.

"How...?" Jim asked quietly.

Blair explained that he and Susan had been going out, she had gotten pregnant and he had found out that she was married. He also told him that Susan had asked him not to tell anyone that he was the father.

"How could she do something like that, aren't you angry at her?" Jim asked.

"No, I thought I was at first, but then I realized her predicament and I was just sad that it had to be this way." Blair answered carefully.

He then explained that Susan and her husband had been fighting and were legally separated at the time that they had been dating. She had still been in love with her husband, but had wanted to make him jealous. However, she came to like Blair—as a friend, and so she never told her husband about the affair. They had only slept together once, but she had gotten pregnant. Her husband thought the baby was his and overjoyed that he would be a father, he also confessed that he still loved her too, and they were able to salvage their marriage...

Just then, Susan walked in and told him that Elizabeth wanted to see him. He walked tentatively into the room and gave a small smile as he saw her seated on the exam table. (The doctor had said that she was fine and could go home that day.) Elizabeth smiled at him and reached out to give him a hug, which he gladly accepted.

"Thank you for saving me, Mr. Sandburg," she said. Then she motioned for him to come closer and whispered, "I like you, you made me not so scared."

"I like you too," Blair whispered back, feeling very happy.

Then she turned to her mother and asked, "Mommy, can Mr. Sandburg come and visit me sometimes?"

Startled, Susan looked at Blair who started to say, "I don't think..."

But, Susan interrupted him, "He can if he wants to—as a friend."

Slowly Blair smiled. "As a friend. Yeah, I would like that...and you can call me Blair," he replied...

He had thought that he was ok with the previous arrangement; that he could step away from it and move on. After all she had two parents who obviously loved her and a better lifestyle than he could ever provide her with. She already had a father; she didn't need him, but he needed her. And now he didn't have to stay away. Now could see her, talk to her, be with her. It didn't matter that he was 'Blair' to her and not 'daddy', because now he would no longer be just a stranger watching from a distance: he was now a friend and this case had begun the process of bridging the distance.


End file.
